La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to begin the 2024-2025 season with the Southern California regional theater premiere of the hit Broadway musical, WAITRESS. With book by Jessie Nelson and music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, WAITRESS is based on the 2007 indie film written and directed by Adrienne Shelly and starring Ken Russell. After a tryout in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2015, WAITRESS made its 2016 debut on Broadway, where it earned Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for outstanding featured actor in a musical.
Desi Oakley and Cleavant Derricks – Photo by Jason Niedle
WAITRESS is directed by Abbey O’Brien – a member of the show’s original creative team as associate choreographer of the initial Broadway production. When recently interviewed, O’Brien noted that “this was the first show on Broadway to ever have an all-female team.” When asked about the choreography, which is very different from the typical “dance” musical like “West Side Story,” O’Brien noted that “The beauty of this show is that you don’t really notice the choreography because it is so nuanced, story-driven, and pedestrian…(which) allows us to have a seamless through-line…you feel it…in a much bigger way.” O’Brien added that “WAITRESS is a celebration of resilience, friendship, and finding the courage to follow your dreams.”
Desi Oakley and Ben Jacoby – Photo by Jason Niedle
WAITRESS is about Jenna (Desi Oakley), Dawn (Rianny Vasquez), and Becky (Dominique Kent), three women who work at Joe’s Diner. But Joe’s isn’t just a diner. In fact, it has a specialty that sets it apart – every day there is a different, exceptional, and mouth-watering pie fashioned by their very own Jenna, pie baker extraordinaire, who has put her heart and soul into her creations. These distinctive pies almost mirror her topsy-turvy life with names like “Betrayed by My Eggs Pie.” Sad to say, Jenna’s abusive husband Earl (Brian Krinsky) doesn’t offer anything to the relationship, much like her own parents’ abusive marriage – with both women finding that baking pies frees them from their unpleasant reality. And then reality comes crashing through the door when Jenna discovers that she is pregnant. However, Jenna’s encounters with obstetrician Dr. Pomatter (Ben Jacoby), might signal that a change is coming.
Desi Oakley and Brian Krinsky – Photo by Jason Niedle
Competently directed by Abbey O’Brien, a woman with the skills and history to fully comprehend what the show is about, WAITRESS follows Jenna’s dream – to win a pie-baking contest and receive the $20,000 reward. Against all odds, Jenna isn’t one to give up, especially when she has the support of her close friends and coworkers Dawn and Becky, her boss Cal (Brian Cali), and the elderly Joe (Cleavant Derricks), the diner’s owner. Casting is right on point, with perky Jenna, shy Dawn, and down-to-earth Becky delivering word and song in this fun musical. With over a dozen songs played by musicians Jennifer Lin (keyboard), Casey Comstock-Mills ((keyboard), Ana Barreiro (drums), Chelsea Gwizdala (bass), Nick Anton (cello/guitar), Max Wagner (guitar), and Eric Heinly (music contractor), WAITRESS is a lively, tuneful journey filled with powerful voices and subtle choreography. You can’t help but be impressed by that scalloped pie crust proscenium. One thing is certain: You won’t be bored during this entertaining musical.
Ben Jacoby and Desi Oakley – Photo by Jason Niedle
WAITRESS runs through October 13, 2024, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, at 8 p.m. on Fridays, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays (no performances on Sunday, 9/21 at 6:30 p.m.)La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts is located at 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada, CA. Tickets range from $19 to $85 ($19 students; group and military discounts available). For information and reservations, call 562-944-9801 or 714-994-6310 or go online.
Splash Magazines
Be the first to comment